The course, designed to help aspiring authors improve their fiction writing, will help students with a range of goals, from mastering the basics and perfecting short stories, to getting their novels onto bookstore shelves.

All students will have their work read, edited, discussed and critiqued by the other writers in the class. The program will be flexible, informal and tailored to the interests of the students, no matter their age, writing ability or experience.

A native of Northern Ireland who currently resides in New Orleans, Rea was a national newspaper journalist in the United Kingdom. He has covered a range of news stories, from the Gulf War and terrorist attacks in London to the resignation of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

After relocating to New Orleans in 2004, Rea discovered Finn McCool’s, a Mid-City Irish bar with a club soccer team playing in a local league. While displaced to Houston during Hurricane Katrina, he authored “Finn McCool's Football Club,” which follows Rea’s and his team’s struggles during that time.

Interested participants are asked to submit a one to 10-page writing sample of fiction or non-fiction, along with their name, profession, e-mail address, local address and phone number to Rea at stephen@stephen-rea.com. To reserve a place in the class, checks can be mailed to: Walker Percy Center, Box 157, 6363 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA 70118.

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